


Remember Everything

by YesBothWays



Series: Love is a Quest [19]
Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Greek myth - Freeform, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-31 21:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3993628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YesBothWays/pseuds/YesBothWays
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a poem from Xena's perspective (AU from "Remember Nothing")</p>
            </blockquote>





	Remember Everything

I find your spirit still strong yet

Almost unrecognizable in this life –

Hard and thick, knotted like a scar.

 

You still know the power you have

To reshape what's around you, to

Labor like Hercules, but not for love.

 

A cold will to survive and beneath it

Hate as sharp as the edge of a sword

Forms your spine, holds you upright.

 

Skilled hands can smooth the marks of

Old injuries until they fade into pale

Lines that cannot be felt in the dark.

 

In this new role, I am the gentle one –

The one still in possession of that fine

And frail gift of tenderness for others.

 

I long for you to heal. I fear what you

Feared in our former life: Will you

Let me touch you? Will you feel it?

 

You arrived like the coming of a great

Storm, like lightening sent down by

The gods, imbued with their power.

 

An army of men could not overcome

Me. Yet you came, without armor,

Without weapons, made me tremble.

 

Was it like this? Did my eyes glance

Over you, pass you by, to fix only on

What they believed was real, on pain?

 

I want to lead you now on paths unlike

Those you followed me along before –

To a full pantry, a warm bath, to our bed.

 

It took months, as I knew from our

Past, hidden in worlds away from this,

That it would for you to truly trust me.

 

When finally I undressed you, you

Watched me hard, still, but not to see

If I had a plan to harm you, kept hid.

 

You watched me to see how I moved,

To create a map of it in your heart, of

The roads I took to bring myself near.

 

Also to remember. You have a will to

Remember everything, to take this world

Inside of yourself as a true image, whole.  

 

In that life before, I knew you would

Suffer for this. Here in this place, you

Will learn new pleasures and great joys.

 

You taste just as sweet in this life, and I am

Surprised. You kiss just as tenderly and

Just as fierce. Nothing could change this.

 

You haven't done much kissing, you tell

Me, in a voice heavy and flat as dry earth.

Over time, your body unlearns lessons past.

 

You spring up with new life; you rush once

More like a paradise of creation. I grow lost

Within that sacred place we create together.

 

When you realize it is safe here and shall

Ever remain so, I know you will go then

To the windows, look out to find others.

 

 _Who is not safe in this world?_ you will

Begin asking me. This time, I will follow

You as you lead us down dangerous roads.

 

 

 


End file.
